Treasures of Darkness

Why did Moses choose to abandon the treasures of Egypt to suffer with his people?
Why did Ruth choose to follow Naomi and live the hard life of a widow when she could remarry and return to her people?
Why did David choose not to kill Saul when he had the opportunity?

At times, obedience to God is foolishness in the sight of man.

Even if it be the path of foolishness, let us choose obedience.

Evident from the life of Solomon, wisdom does not please God unless it is coupled with obedience.

Lately, my mind has been on God, the marketplace, priorities, time management. I have been asking God how to live my life in a manner that truly sets Him at the centre of my life, where  ministry or work will not take centre stage. Where I can find the freedom to truly live for His glory.

Many of us will eventually become marketplace christians. I know I am to be, and therefore I want to learn what God thinks about the marketplace.

I realised that when it comes to Christians and the marketplace, there are 2 common schools of thought.

Some christians view the marketplace as inherently evil/worldly, and their jobs as simply a means of physical sustenance or a type of obligation and responsibility. Church and ministry are the priorities, the sacred aspects of life. Such, which is termed as Spirituality, is overemphasized. They are apt to believe there that lies a dichotomy between the physical and the spiritual.

Some christians acknowledge God to be involved in the marketplace. Yet, they also believe in striving and achieving material success in the marketplace so it will allow them a level of "influence". In order to get there, they feel it is important to be wise in the ways of this world and be shrewd in its ways. Such, which is termed as practicality, is overemphasized. They are also apt to believe, albeit rightly, that there should be no dichotomy between the "sacred" and the "secular".

My marketplace role model is Daniel. A man who did not compromise in his obedience to God in the marketplace. Many people aspire to be Daniels. It is commonplace for people to say they are striving to get a certain accomplishment, qualification, so that they can be a "Daniel" for God in the marketplace. It is commonplace for people to say they want to work in a particular industry or field so they can be a "Daniel" there. This may not be inherently wrong. There is a place in the kingdom for the spirit of excellence, there is a place for our hearts desires and giftings...

One morning, as I was walking along the road, I saw an eagle soaring way above in the sky. To remain afloat, it did not need to flap its wings a thousand times. It simply spread its wings and allowed the wind to carry it. God spoke to me that the eagle is created to soar. It does not strive to attain the position. It certainly is not motivated by a selfish ambition, or a covert desire to attain to the place of "influence" in the skies, under the guise of the name of God. God has placed the eagle in the skies and created it in this manner, just like how He has placed the earthworm to crawl on the earth.

Who is a Daniel? Is a Daniel someone who strives to attain power to "influence for the kingdom of God"? Is a Daniel someone so excellent in the ways of the world and preoccupied with selfish ambition, and at the same time having a heart that is waning cold towards the heartbeat of God?

Daniel is the man who never sought any position. He never determined in his heart to be prime minister of Babylon "to influence". If any determination was in him, it must have been the determination to not defile himself. Daniel did not play according to the ways of the world but humbly acknowledged God to be His source of wisdom and power when he was brought before the king.

Lastly, a Daniel is someone who is willing to place his life, his position, his power, his status on the line, so that he can obey the Most High and Living God.

Am I willing to risk all this for God?

So before you tell me you are a Daniel, lets ask ourselves whether we fit the criteria from the Word of God.

Certainly, we need not think we must strive to be in a certain position to influence. Though is it true the some are indeed called to be in a position of power, the key for obedience lies in the heart's motivation. Are you preoccupied with striving to get something or somewhere? Have you lost the excellence in studying the word of God and knowing His heart? If so, what makes you think you can influence the world for God once you manage to attain the position of your desire? Questions I asked myself.

Secondly, what if one is created to be the earthworm and not the eagle? Does that mean one cannot influence anyone in this lowly position? We may be called to a high place in the marketplace, but our place of influence starts where we are, and not where we may be someday.

We must have a spirit of excellence in the things of the kingdom and the secular. But we must check our heart whether our motivation is to serve the God of excellence or whether we are making excellence our god and pursuit.

The parable of the shrewd manager essentially asks us a pointed question: if non-christians are so shrewd in the things of the world which concerns them, are we christians also equally shrewd in the things of God which concern us? Let's not fool ourselves with ministry and the doing of things. Let's ask ourselves if we have indeed grown closer to God's heartbeat and are hungry for His word.

The truth is, God is looking for a nameless faceless generation to take His light, His name, His glory into the marketplace. The people who know their God will do mighty exploits. God is not looking for christians who use His name in vain to seek their own pursuit, pleasure, and a name for Themselves. God is not looking for those with one foot in the world, the other foot in the kingdom of God.

Let us hide behind the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us be willing to be put His name first at the expense of our own pride and glory. Remember that God uses the foolish to shame the wise, the weak to shame the strong. Do you think this principle would not apply in the marketplace? Must we make ourselves worldly wise so we get their approval and favour?

God is the God of Wisdom and Power. Wisdom and Power belong to Him, not to this world.

It has been a journey of faith. There have been many dark moments when I was desperate for faith to believe God.

I know faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God. I would read the Word of God and will myself to believe in it's truth. I would tell myself it didn't matter if my emotions told me otherwise, I just wanted to believe. Deep down inside, I felt frustrated at my lack of faith and how my thoughts and feelings could not align with the Word each time I met with a negative circumstance. Unknowingly, I had reduced faith to merely an act of the will.

Yet faith doesn't come because we simply will it to happen. I believe it's because faith doesn't originate from the realm of the soul - the will, the heart, the emotions and intellect. It originates from the realm of the Spirit. It is an impartation from the Divine Spirit to our spirit man. And when our spirit man is strengthened in faith, it affects our soul and body as well!

We need not despair when we find our faith so weak and small. I look at a mustard seed and see so much potential inherent within it, to grow into that sturdy, huge tree. Yet that seed of faith must be properly cultivated and cared for to grow!

In the past few months, I think my faith has grown from a tiny seed to perhaps a little green sapling. I don't think I'm the same Alexia I was a few months ago. The voices of fear and anxiety have grown weak, but the voice of Faith has grown strong in me! I am certain I will walk into His promises because His word says so. This belief doesn't merely come from human effort but it's a supernatural grace. I don't know how to describe it fully, but it does feel wonderful.

I'm so thankful for what God has graciously given me - this growing faith that comes from the life giving Word of God, imparted into my spirit man! May I keep relying on Him.